Thursday, February 20, 2014

Fethullah Gulen and the Hizmet Movement, Jack Goldstone, George Mason University

I think Fethullah Gulen is a remarkable philosopher. I’m pleased with
the influence that he’s had because virtually all of his followers share
the goals of charity, interfaith peace, and the condemnation of
violence. It does trouble me sometimes that there is no control all over
who gets the call themselves a Gulenist and even though who knows very
little about Fethullah Gulen, his writings, the organizations, are
willing to see the hand of conspiracy where none exist. But of course we
are human, we all tend worry, and sometimes we put labels on things.
And experience I’ve had with Gulenist organizations has been entirely
positive. I’m a Jewish academic born in America with European parents
and everyone made me feel like part of the same community, we sharing
the same goals.
All of the statements I’ve seen from Fethullah Gulen regarding
political events, even up to his touching statements regarding the
victims of the Boston bombing, have always been against violence, in
favor of peace. And for bringing people of all faiths together. So I’m
very happy with the analogy I’ve gained about the Gulen and Gulen
Movement, the activities of most of his supporters all that I know
personally, they have been great and I think the organization is great.